Commissioners Approve Bids During Meeting
Roosevelt County Commissioners approved funds for a building at the Culbertson airport and various delivered meal programs during their meeting on Tuesday, June 10.
Commissioners agreed to provide $37,500 for a snow removal equipment building for the airport in Culbertson. The winning bid for the project was $1.099 million from Corland Construction.
FFA pays 95 percent of the costs for the building while the county and city split the remaining 5 percent.
The estimated start date for the project is mid-August with a finish date of late November.
Commissioners also approved a bid of $20.42 per meal from Northeast Montana Health Services for delivered meals to Wolf Point and Poplar. The cost is a 2.8 percent increase from last year. The bid of $17.50 from Roosevelt Medical Center for delivered meals in Culbertson was also approved. The price is the same as last year.
In accordance with the terms of a cooperative service agreement between the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Montana Wool Growers Association, the county agreed to allocate $699.50 for the protection of sheep from destructive animals. In accordance with the terms of a cooperative service agreement between USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection and the Montana Department of Livestock, the county agreed to allocate $9,270.50 for the protection of cattle from destructive animals.
Marlene Turner was hired to be a new employee in the clerk and recorder’s office. During commissioners’ reports, Toavs talked about a new program being offered by the Great Northern Development Corp. He also noted the county received a positive report regarding workman’s compensation and that the premium will be reduced from the coming year.
Oelkers attended that National Association of Counties Institute’s meetings in Washington, D.C. He was one of just 19 participants invited to the event. He said leadership skills observed and learned will benefit him as a commissioner and as the next president of the Montana Association of Counties.
Oelkers, who was a member of Montana’s property tax reform task force, discussed property tax changes from the recently passed House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542.
He explained that the county keeps about 35 to 40 percent of county property taxes received, and the rest heads to schools in the county. For many years, counties could only increase the tax rate at half of the inflation rate over three years. Now, counties will be able to increase the actual rate of inflation, up to 4 percent.
Toavs noted many people think that when they pay their county tax bill, all the money goes to running the county when about 65 percent actually goes to schools.
Oelkers said all costs increase, and commissioners try their best to maintain services.
“If we didn’t have oil money, we wouldn’t have all the services we have,” he explained.
He expects property owners of home valued at $400,000 or less to see their property taxes decrease. The taxes will increase for higher valued homes or second homes.
“It’s just a tax shift,” Oelkers said. “The same amount of dollars will be collected.”
